Joy in prisons as ED pardons some inmates
President Mnangagwa is expected to pardon prisoners following the approval of a general amnesty by Cabinet yesterday.
The move is expected to decongest the prison population which currently stands at 20 407 against a holding capacity of 17 000.
The last amnesty was granted in March last year.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa made the announcement yesterday during a post-Cabinet media briefing.
“The Proposed General Amnesty is targeted at all prisoners who have served at least one third of their sentences, save for those convicted of specified offences such as the following: murder, treason, rap_e or any se_xual offence, carjacking, robbery, stock theft, and public violence.
“There shall be full remission of sentence to be granted to all prisoners who would have served life imprisonment for at least 15 years commutation,” she said.
She said the overpopulation in prisons posed a health hazard, especially considering the Covid-19 pandemic and the recommended measures to curtail the spread of the disease.
— Herald
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